Has a player really tried if they get beat 6-0, 6-0(women), 3rd bad set(mens)?

[jukka1970]

I really get annoyed when I see the double bagel scores, whether it's in the ladies or mens. I mean how in the world does a professional player lose that bad? Is anyone really that good that you can't take 1 game off of them in 12games. And for the men, it's usually not a 3rd set of 6-0, more like 6-1 or 6-2. I remember Graf doing this to a few people, and back then I thought well maybe she is that good since she's done it to different people. But the more I thought about it, even back then I still had the same feeling down deep which is, how can you not take 1 game off of them.

But nowadays, there is more depth in each gender, and I just don't get it. To me it just seems like the other player just plain gave up from the beginning. Not to mention it sucks for the fans, especially the ones that paid for tickets.

Jukka

 

[Koaske]

Double bagels happen when the other player is really in the zone and the other's game has fallen apart completely. There might still be deuce situations in the match but if the other player is in weak state mentally, he'll keep losing games.
Then, it might be that the other player is not in the best condition physically.
Sometimes when playing tennis, you try with all your might but still don't get your game on the groove.

 

[brucie]

Well Im no pro but the other day i give my sometimes doubles partner a triple bagel!

 

[Warriorroger]

Natasha Zvereva beat Navratilova in the semi's of the 88 French Open, but was so scared of Graf in the finals, she did try, but was frozen. Graf was that good, but she appeared to be an intimidating character on the courts back in the late 80s, that's why she won a lot of matches. Steffi looked as if she were saying: why are you even trying, the cab is running, let's get it over with quickly. Roger does it more with his tennis, because he is such a likeable and approachable person, he does the intimidating with his tennis. Henman played well in the first set, but was overclassed by the genius of Federer.

 

[Moose Malloy]

jukka,
there really isn't much depth in womens tennis today, even compared to graf's time. if you look at the win-loss record of the #40-80 players on the Wta & compare to w/l of #40-80 players on the mens tour you see how great the gap is between the tours. Women outside the top 30 in womens tennis barely win any matches all year, while men do win matches, get deep in events etc.

So when you see a 60,60 result in womens tennis it really does accurately reflect difference in ability. also men (even really low ranked men) can hold serve on a fairly regular basis. not many low ranked women have that ability, so blowouts occur.

I think a 64 draw in womens tennis would help elimate these blowouts.

 

[jukka1970]

thanks all, have definitely learned more. Guess I'm just surprised that there was that much of a difference in the pros. Before pros it wouldn't have surprised me, but at pro level was surprising.

 

[Max G.]

thanks all, have definitely learned more. Guess I'm just surprised that there was that much of a difference in the pros. Before pros it wouldn't have surprised me, but at pro level was surprising.

Well, also, in pro tennis the opponent is also a pro.

In the low-level amateur leags, even if I'm having a horrific day the opponent is likely to "donate" at least a game or two if I just keep the ball in play.

At the pro level, the guys can keep up their concentration for twelve straight games and not let up. So if someone's not playing well, they can't just switch to "keep the ball in play" mode and expect a gift of a game or two before being punished for it.

Great example of that - Agassi versus Lee a couple of years back at the Australian. Lee won the first game of the match, and won a couple of points in the second; then Agassi won eighteen straight games. I saw portions of that, and it's not like Lee wasn't trying. But he just had no way of winning points! His serve was just slightly worse than Agassi's, his groundstrokes were worse - whenever they got into a rally, Agassi would win, because he was just playing better - and, unlike the amateur level where the better player will sometimes drop his level, Agassi just kept being that slight bit better all match long. It only takes being a slight bit better to win a point.